1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telephone systems, and more particularly relates to a computer-telephony integration employing an intelligent keyboard to facilitate improved user interface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern business practice relies heavily on the use of both telephone systems and computer systems as important tools. Quite often, the simultaneous use of these powerful tools is required. Typical examples of such applications include customer service centers, telephone based sales, telephone surveys and the like.
Therefore, it is often desirable to provide a degree of interaction between the telephone system and the computer system to improve efficiency. In this case, the telephone system is capable of responding to commands received by the computer, such as dialing a telephone number from a database stored in a computer. Similarly, the computer is able to respond to commands received from the telephone system, such as providing a visual indication that a call is incoming.
Business telephony systems have become quite complex and provide a number of features in addition to local switching and control of incoming calls. These systems, often referred to as private branch exchanges (PBX), are capable of multiplexing a large number of voice and data signals from a large number of user consoles. Often, the PBX includes a caller identification (ID) function to indicate the phone number of an incoming call on the user console.
Further, many PBX also include automated touch-tone answering systems. These systems prompt the caller through a series of questions, then route the call according to answers which are entered by the caller on a touch-tone telephone. The answers, in digital form, can also be forwarded along with the incoming telephone call. This provides the user at the console with certain information about the caller, such as account number and the nature of the call, even before the call is answered. A sophisticated user console interfaced to the PBX can display such information on a computer terminal associated with the user console.
One such user console, known in the prior art, includes a telephone handset combined with a digital terminal employing a touch-sensitive cathode ray tube (CRT). The digital terminal is part of a data processing system which stores business related information, such as a database of customers. In addition, information regarding the incoming call may also be displayed on the CRT. During the course of a call, information may be entered into the data processing system by the user at the console by use of a keyboard associated with the digital terminal. Further, the touch sensitive CRT associated with the terminal allows a variety of commands to be selected by the user by touching the screen where these commands are displayed.
The use of the touch screen allows the user to enter commands with fewer key strokes on the keyboard. However, the use of a touch sensitive CRT has the disadvantage of requiring the user to remove his or her hands from the keyboard to use the touch screen. As a result, the data entry process is interrupted, resulting in inefficiencies in the call answering process. In addition, while selections are being made on the touch screen, the field of view of the screen is obscured to the user by his or her own hand. A final disadvantage associated with the use of the touch screen is that the commands which are available to the user are limited to those currently being displayed on the CRT by an active software application.
As an alternative to the use of a touch sensitive CRT, other computer-based PBX user consoles in the prior art rely on a digital pointer, such as a mouse, to control the operation of both a telephone system and a data processing system. As with the case of the touch sensitive CRT, commands related to the telephone system and data processing system are displayed on the CRT of a digital computer terminal. To select one of the commands, the digital pointer is moved until an indicator which is displayed on the CRT is proximate to the desired command. Typically, a switch on the digital pointer is then depressed to select the desired command.
While the use of the digital pointer alleviates the problem of obscuring the field of view during command selection, this system still requires the user"" s hands to leave the main keyboard to manipulate the digital pointer. As with the touch screen, the digital pointer can only access those commands currently being displayed by the active application on the CRT. Also, digital pointers often require additional space on a desktop on which to move the digital pointer. A further disadvantage of digital pointers is that a degree of dexterity is required to manipulate the pointer. While seemingly trivial, in the process of responding to hundreds of calls a day, this process can fatigue the user and possibly result in a repetitive motion injury.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer-telephony integrated system which includes an improved user console.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a computer-telephony integrated system which includes a user console which provides for more efficient manipulation of information in a data processing system and control of a telephony system.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a computer-telephony integrated system which includes a user console that allows a user to easily manipulate information in a data processing system as well as control a telephone system without the use of a touch sensitive screen or a digital pointer, such as a mouse.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an intelligent keyboard suitable for use with a computer-telephony integrated user console.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method of operating a computer-telephony integrated user console employing an intelligent keyboard.
In accordance with one form of the present invention, an improved computer-telephony integrated user console is formed employing a personal computer, a telephone line interface, and an integrated intelligent keyboard system. The integrated intelligent keyboard system preferably includes a standard alphanumeric keyboard and a plurality of intelligent function keys. The intelligent function keys include a switch and an integral display associated with each switch. The display associated with the intelligent function keys, as well as the function of each of the intelligent function keys, is dynamic. The function and display are responsive and adaptive to events detected by the computer from the telephone system and/or applications software.
The improved computer-telephony integrated user console of the present invention is controlled by software. The control software is resident in the personal computer and controls the interface between the telephone system, general purpose applications software and the integrated intelligent keyboard. The control software enables the integrated intelligent keyboard to respond and adapt to events detected by other software applications and to events detected within the telephone system.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.